Not knowing any better as a kid I hunted rain, snow etc. with an old wood stocked Rem 700 ADL, never missed a shot that wasn't my fault. Later on I removed the action, sealed the barrell channell, and used a toothbrush to work polyeurethane into the checkering, and again never missed a shot that wasn't my fault. later still replaced the wood stock with a B&C Carbelite one.

Personally if it was me and considering the cost of going hunting out west, I would simply buy a Ramline or similar synthetic stock, wax the metal parts (barell and action) with a paste type car wax and go hunting, worrying more about keeping a piece of black tape over the muzzle with an extra wrap or two around the barrel below for when you lose the original, or as my wife does snip off the finger of a rubber glove and place over the muzzle. She does the same for the scope too, a quick "roll" and off the come. As for the caliber, certainly not the greatest elk round ever, but feed it good quality bullets it likes, keep it within your range, place the bullet where it belongs and be sure to have a good camera and a sharp knife. Many an elk have been killed by good hunters with less than perfect elk calibers. BTW what is a perfect elk caliber? Wait thats a whole nother topic.